Reflecting on the News

Joe was stunned when they entered the palace. He did not know what to say. The ride from the doctor's office, he just held her as she cried and tried to console her. Whose child was it, Rupert's or his. 'It could be either,' thought Joe. He believed Clarisse was thinking the same thing. If it was his how would they explain that to the country. The queen of Genovia pregnant to a commoner was very scandalous.

"Joe, what am I to do? I have to have this child. It is not the child's fault. I will not have an abortion! Especially considering it could be yours also," she cried in frustration. "Clarisse, I would never let you do that or ask you to do that. You would never forgive yourself if you did. If it is Rupert's we will love it, and try to not remember how it was conceived. If it is mine, we pray as it grows it looks totally like you and not me," he said trying to calm her. "Joe, I do not know how I am going to make it through this," Clarisse said pacing around the room becoming more and more agitated. "They could kill you for what we done that night. No matter what Rupert was like. The country did not know about his extra affairs. They also never learned of the reason he died of the heart attack either," said she. "My love please sit down," he said as he made her stop pacing. Sitting on the couch in her sitting room he pulled her down beside him.

Clarisse sat down next to Joseph kind of awkwardly. She reached for her hand up to touch her head for the movement was making her a little woozy. Joseph took notice and pulled her closer taking notice immediately to her unsteadiness.

After sitting that way for ten minutes Clarisse moved to stand up. Joseph said, "oh no you don't sweetheart." Joseph stood up and picked Clarisse up in his arms. "Joe, I can walk perfectly fine, and I still have things to do yet today. I am almost positive that Charlotte has a ton of paperwork down in the office to go over," said Clarisse protesting a bit. Joe walked in the bedroom and laid Clarisse on the bed. He sat down beside her and in a stern voice said, "you might be the queen of Genovia, and have a lot of work to do. You and that baby need your rest, and a little less stress right now. The fact that you were dizzy out there in the sitting room tells me you are not doing this baby any good by letting this fluster you. We have seven months to come up with some answers to all these problems. They will not get answered all right now. You need to stay calm and stressless for the baby. I will tell Charlotte, you will be down in about two hours to do some work. No argument. I love you so much!" During his speech Joe was waving his finger at her scolding her. Clarisse looked at him sheepishly, "alright Joe. I will take a nap for two hours. I have one condition though that you stay with me." Joe resigned to that one condition as he laid down beside her. Joe spooned his body against Clarisse's body with his arm under her head and his free arm around her middle section. She was exhausted and the stress finally put her to sleep.

Joe pulled out his cell phone and contacted Charlotte in Clarisse's office. Charlotte was very understanding , and said she would keep the queen's schedule clear until she woke from her nap. Charlotte believed she knew why the queen was taking this mid afternoon nap. She was just hoping that the is Joseph's. She loved the new relationship she saw blossoming between them.

Joe hung up the phone with Charlotte. He watched Clarisse sleeping peacefully. He whispers while caressing her hair, "we will be alright, but it is gonna be rough. Together we will make it though;because we love each other." He changed his hand down to rubbing Clarisse's abdomen, "you my child will make us very happy."

Please review and stay tuned there are still a few twists to the story. Hope you are enjoying it.